The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-20
The Dust Question.


To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
The rain and snow have laid the dust, yet the
dust question is not laid. Let us consider it.
Some things are plain. The streets ought to be
sprinked, especially in the business and more
densly populated portions of the city. AS those
living in the less crowded parts have many of
the comforts of country life, it is but fair that
they should endure some of the Inconvenience
of country life. dust and COWS included. The
whole OF every block that is sprinked at all
should be sprinkled, hence there must be some
compulsion in some neighborhoods. The ques-
ton Of how is the only difficult question.
Sprnkling is a street improvement Why may
not the streetimprovement ordinance be adapted
to this kind of i'm provement9 That
has stood the test of ages in
thousands of cities, and is substantially
the in all cities. There are
essential differences between temporary i'm
provement like sprinklng and a permanent i'm
rrovement like laying a pavement which the
ordinance should recognize and provide for.
My suggestion is this: Whenever two-thirds
of the inhabitants of block shall petition the
street commissioner to sprinkle tie street on
that block, he shall have it done by the lowest
bidder and the cost shall be collected weekly or
monthly of those living along said street by an
equal assessment upon each. All are equally
interested. The family that has a twenty-foot
front is often more benefited than the family
who lives south of them with front of hun
dred or two hundred feet It would be hard
ship to require the man living on the cor
ner to sprinkle two or three hundred
feet, while his next neighbor, equally
benefited, should pay for only twenty.
It should be paid for by those who enjoy its
benefits. III more part OF the things paid
for in the rent than fuel in the winter is, than
water and gas are. If by contract the landlord
to Fury nd Oac nd fual or
him, but not otherwise, and SO with the sprink-
ling. The street-improvement power contains
another feature applicable in this case The
Council has right to order improvement
whether asked for or not, and to refuse one
asked for, as the public good may require. So in
this case the street commissioner should be au-
thcrized to order the sprinkling OF given block
if public good required it, to refuse it if, his
Judgment it should not be done. could write
a column or two in elucidation of this PROPOSE
ton. but that would prove as great nuisance as
cloud of dust, so leave it right here. conf
dent that every sensible man will see the point
and write for no other klnd. U. l.. SEE.
The Rumor of George w. Julian's Marriage
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
The smpletou who has now the second time
caused the ridiculous story to be circulated
through the Journal that the Hon. George w.
Julian, now absent in New Mexico. is soon to be
married to worthy young lady of Certerville,
needs attention; for, where he is not known. he
may be believed. In behalf of the venerable
gentleman, and the youthful miss, as WE'LL both
of whom are friends of mine, desire to protest
against this nonsense Such thing has never
been thought OF by the parties; it has never been
talked about among their friends, and there has
been nothing at all to justify the slightest alu-
sion to it through the press or otherwise. The
whole story is the creation of its authors i'm
agination and malice. ONE WHO KNOWS
Anril 10